The Second Clara?
by The Real JL Rules
Summary: Sequel to "Venusian Valentine's" and "Crossroads". Something is wrong with Clara - but Missy will not lose her, under any circumstances...
1. Chapter 1

_1\. This is a fan fiction based on characters owned by the BBC. I DO NOT OWN THEM. This is just for fun._

 _2\. This is a continuation from_ Venusian Valentine's _and_ Crossroads _. Reading those first isn't absolutely necessary, but it helps to put this setting into perspective._

* * *

PART 1

"I can't believe you'd be so stupid!"

Clara Masters-Oswald did not even have the strength to roll her eyes. "That makes me... feel so... much better, Missy... "

Her wife's scowl deepened. "What do you expect me to say?! How could you do such a thoughtless thing?"

Delgado frowned himself from his position of his Earth mother's right side, looking disdainfully at his Gallifreyan mother to Clara's left. Both were holding the Human, as they struggled to make it back to their TARDIS. "Mother, I don't exactly think _now_ is the right time to have a go."

"Don't be a smark alek, Delgado," Missy scolded.

Their eldest son simply shook his head. "Can't think where I got that from... "

Before another fullscale argument could commence, Clara's voice cracked. "Please... be quiet... headache... "

"Oh, you still have a headache?" chided Missy. "Your little plan didn't work? What did you expect?"

Clara closed her eyes in pain. No, her "little plan" did not work. But she could not help it. She was desperate. She had to do _something_. And now she was paying for it... with possibly her life.

"Mommy!" "Momma!" came two little - yet loud - voices as the TARDIS doors closed behind Clara, Missy and Delgado. A pair of small children dashed upto them, their pitter-pattering of tiny feet like drums in Clara's head. Behind them was a slightly-older girl, aged between Delgado and the two little ones.

"Guys, not now," Delgado grunted, as he struggled to carry more of Clara's weight, his mum's legs having gone completely from under her. As if sensing her eldest's burden - which was probably literally the case - Missy tugged Clara closer to take the load onto her.

Michelle wordlessly reached out and grabbed the small Gomez and Jenna's arms. "Wha' happen' t'Mommy?" whined Jenna.

"Your brother said _not now_ ," seethed Missy. The Time Lady was never the more easygoing of the two parents, even if she _was_ deemed the "fun" one. It was quite the contradiction. Missy always left the softer part of childraising to Clara. And with Clara in her current state, it was ironically upto Delgado to reassure his siblings.

"Don't worry" he called over his shoulder as the trio passed them and headed out the control room exit to the medibay. "Everything'll be alright."

Clara desperately wanted to comfort her children, but her strength was going by the second. Her heart stang, and she was unsure if it was because of the physical stress she was in, or the sight of her babies worried and scared.

Eventually, after what seemed days, they reached the medibay. Missy ordered Delgado to clear a bed, seamlessly sweeping Clara up and fully into her arms. The young man moved some machinery and paperwork out the way - her parents were in the beginning stages of planning _another_ addition to the family - and fluffed the pillows just in time for Missy to lovingly lower and drape her wife ontop of the sheets.

"How many times did I tell you, Clara?" tutted Missy. "How many times did I tell you what you can and cannot do? Why do you never listen to me?"

"I... had to... " mumbled the Human. "Head was... killing me... "

"Then you should've come to _me_!" Missy shook her head in frustration, though her caring strokes of Clara's forehead betrayed her concern.

Clara winced as the pain intensified. "Feel... on fire... " Her vision was going blurry, and her stomach was doing flipflops. "Can't... breathe... "

At that, Missy's tone instantly changed. "It's OK, love. Everything will be fine." She took her free hand in Clara's, holding it tightly. "It's just like we talked about, alright? Just remember what I said."

"We... talked... about... ?" Through the fog, Clara's mind comprehended what her wife meant. "You... mean I'm... "

Missy bit her lip, then simply raised their joined hands to Clara's fuzzy eyeline.

Clara's hand was glowing.

Her eyes watered. "Oh... oh God... " She should have guessed. "It's... it's just like... like he said it was like... " She did not need to clarify who _he_ was, obviously. "There... there must be... something you can... "

"Poppet, I _am_ ," said Missy. "I told you this would happen eventually. You said you understood."

At the time, Clara did. But having it explained and having it _happen_ were two completely things.

After all, Humans were not meant to regenerate.

However, Missy was not prepared to lose Clara. _Ever_. Which led to Clara's current situation:

A couple of years and a couple of children into their relationship, Missy revealed to her spouse she discovered a way to impart certain Gallifreyan traits to Clara. Clara would never be an _actual_ Gallifreyan, of course, but after several experiments and procedures Missy did the impossible: she made the Impossible Girl a pseudo-Time Lady.

At first, nothing seemed to change. Clara had no telepathy nor added resistance to injury. Sure, her ageing was slightly slowed, but nowhere near to the extent of true Gallifreyans'. But of course, a Human was never supposed to have Time Lord/Lady abilities. Their brains were simply unable to cope with the psychological pressure. Clara remembered the Doctor hinted once at someone he knew temporarily gaining the powers of a Gallifreyan... and from his tone, it apparently did not end too well.

But Missy was adamant. She would not lose the woman she loved to old age. Missy was determined to keep Clara forever. Clara was touched how much her wife loved her, but it did lead to the biggest issue with her new biology.

To handle the subconscious strain on Clara's psyche - manifesting itself in occassional headaches - she had to take medication every so often. Missy tried explaining the science of it, and indeed, of the entire procedure, on more than one instance, but it all went over Clara's head. Besides, in the end it did not matter: Clara would not be the "odd one out" in their family, forced to eventually die leaving her wife and children to mourn her. They would all be together for the rest of time.

Today, however, the headaches had been particularly strong. On a stop-off in late-20th century Earth - Clara was also touched by the fact Missy always humoured her choices of adventure destinations - the Impossible Girl was forced to visit a local chemist, the pounding in her head unbearable. There, she purchased... a simple aspirin.

She really _should_ have known. Again, she recalled something the Doctor once said to her, about how an aspirin would kill him. At the time, she thought he was joking. Apparently not. Because it triggered her own regeneration.

To say Clara was scared would be an understatement. Both the Doctor and the former teacher's own wife described the process "almost like dying", as if your current self ended and a new person picked up your life. The thought terrified Clara. Though deep down she would be the same person - physically and in part, psychologically, she would be completely different.

Clara saw two regenerations in her time travelling, and both were heartwrenching. First the Doctor's change from his eleventh body to his twelfth, then, more recently, Missy's from a middle-aged brunnette to a slightly younger blonde. Though if truth be told, Clara found her wife's new body even more attractive. Not to mention Missy was far less maniacal now. Well... more manageable, at least.

But what would happen to Clara herself? Would Missy still love her? What would their children think?! Their sweet angels had a hard enough time coping with the Time Lady's regeneration; how would they manage _both_ parents being different from when they first knew them?

"I honestly cannot believe you'd think such a horrid thing," came Missy's voice, bringing Clara out of her musings. "I could _never_ fall out of love with you, poppet. We'll be together forever."

Clara was too weak - and scared - to scold her wife for using telepathy without permission. The pain was getting worse... she felt like she was being torn apart... she wanted to scream in fear and agony. But no - not with Delgado there. Not on the chance her children would hear her. All she could do was tighten her grip on her lover's hand. "Stay with me... " she choked. "Don't let... go... "

Missy looked pained herself. "I'll have to, my angel... but only for a moment. You know how explosive regenerations can be. Both I and Delgado will have to keep our distance." She then lowered her head to Clara's and kissed her deeply. "But I'll be with you the whole time, Clara. My hearts will be with you." With that, she reluctantly let go of Clara's glowing hand, and forced herself to take a few steps back - nodding to Delgado to do the same.

Clara's breathing increased so much she was almost hyperventilating. She could not hold on much longer. Any moment, the change would occur. She just prayed whatever happened, however much of her changed, her core would remain the same. Deep down she knew it would, but she could not help but fear otherwise.

Taking a big gulp of air, she sensed her whole face glowing. She took a longing look at her wife and eldest son. She also could not help a tear trickling down her cheek. "I... love... "

And then everything exploded in fire.

Clara was aware of nothing... and everything. She felt the life literally being sucked out of her... and at the same time, being sucked in. She was everywhere and nowhere. Everyone and no one. Sensitive to everything, and numb to everything. Looking at herself out of her body... and from within her very soul.

Two things were constant, however: it was seemed to go on forever. No instant happening. It went on and on and on. And second: the _pain_. The agonising, excruciating pain. Clara screamed to the heavens, almost like a newborn being brought into existence...

Finally, it stopped. Eyes wide, Clara stared out, not focusing on anything. Her breathing was still rapid, her body desperately trying to claim air. Her head was dripping with sweat, her entire body trembling. Everything seemed surreal, her ears momentarily deaf...

"Oh, thank Rassilon."

Clara blinked at Missy's voice. Opening and closing her eyes in rapidity, she managed to calm her senses and take in her surroundings. After another audible gulp, she opened her mouth. "M... Missy... "

She instantly clapped her mouth shut. Her voice. It sounded...

"I knew it would work!" said her wife, her face beaming. "I _knew it_!"

Clara could see Delgado glaring at her in bewilderment. "I... don't understand... " He blinked a few times himself. "Mum... ?"

"Delgado... " Again Clara was shocked at the sound of her own voice. It was...

"Here, here." Missy was almost squealing in delight as she manoeuvred a mirror infront of Clara. "Take a look, darling. You'll love it!"

Hand shaking, Clara took the mirror and moved it the rest of the way, until it was reflecting back...

Oh God.

Clara Masters-Oswald looked... exactly as she did before. Same round face. Same puppy eyes. Same button nose. Aside from her hair, which was long again, everything was _exactly the same_.

"Wh... what... " As realised already, her voice was the same, too. "How... ? I... I thought I was... going to... " She _felt_ the same, too. Apart from her current state of shock, she felt no different psychologically.

Seemingly, now the pressure of the situation was gone, Missy reverted to her usual assured, untouchable demeanour. "Oh, please, Clara. You're perfect already - I fell in love with you, body just as much as soul, and I wasn't going to lose that. I'd never allow it. You're my Clara, and I wouldn't have you be different for anything in the universe."

Clara just stared at her, dumbfounded.

"Well, poppet," said Missy, "say something. Thank me, at least."

Instead, Clara's newly-regenerated - though _unchanged_ \- mind chose something else. She fainted right there on the bed...

TO BE CONCLUDED


	2. Chapter 2

_1\. This is a fan fiction based on characters owned by the BBC. I DO NOT OWN THEM. This is just for fun._

 _2\. This is a continuation from_ Venusian Valentine's _and_ Crossroads _. Reading those first isn't absolutely necessary, but it helps to put this setting into perspective._

* * *

PART 2

Missy narrowed her eyes on the door before her. This was intolerable. She raised a hand and knocked hard. "Clara... open up."

Nothing.

Rolling her eyes, the Time Lady was at the end of her tether. "I know you're not sleeping."

Still nothing.

Missy was reaching boiling point. If there was one thing she hated Clara doing, it was _ignoring her_. Her little poppet had alot of leeway with her, able to get away with things Missy would not allow from anyone else, but outright ignoring? _Never_.

Part of the Time Lady was actually surprised at the situation. Nevermind her wife... Missy was not used to her _own TARDIS_ disobeying her. It seemed her ship took a particular liking to the Human itself - yes, it was an _it_ , not a _her_ or _she_ like the Doctor stupidly called his - and was refusing to open the bedroom door for Missy. Though, if anything, it was just further proof the Impossible Girl was truly special, and indeed worthy of Missy's love.

But enough was enough. Missy produced her sonic device and waved it infront of the door. In moments, it opened. She made a mental note to punish the TARDIS later for its insubordination.

As she entered the huge bedroom, Missy could sense the anger coming from the massive bed. Her wife was fuming, and it was not literal fumes from her "regeneration". Missy decided to change tact and approach from a different angle. "Poppet... ?" she said cautiously. "Tell me what's wrong."

Lying ontop of the covers, Clara rolled over so her face stayed hidden. "Go away," came the muffled response.

Sighing, Missy instead stepped closer, until her legs nearly banged against the bed. "There's no need to be scared." She softly lowered down and sat on the free side of the mattress, taking a brief moment to admire her wife's small yet exquisite figure. Thank Gallifrey it was no different. "This temporary insanity is usual after regenerations. It'll pass. There's really no need to hole yourself up in here. I can help you through it. In fact, I think you'll rather like my therapy... " She reached out to stroke Clara's thigh, but stopped at the Impossible Girl's next words.

"You really don't understand, do you?"

Blinking, Missy pulled her hand back. Then, Clara rolled back over until she was facing the Time Lady. Missy questioned her wordlessly. "I'm having no side effects from a 'regeneration'." Clara's words were cold as ice. "Because I'm no different. And you _knew I wouldn't be_."

Missy actually gulped with worry. For some reason, she hated whenever Clara was upset with her. There were many, _many_ things special about her puppy, and one of them was her ability to almost make Missy feel _guilt_. Almost. "I... I... "

"Do you know how hard it was for me when you regenerated?" Clara asked sadly. "Having the Doctor regenerate was one of the hardest things I've ever had to do. Having the woman I married, the woman I gave up _everything_ for... become a completely different person... do you have _any idea_?"

Missy thought back to her own regeneration. It occurred a few years into their marriage, when an "escapade" backfired. "I don't recall you complaining at the time," she said. Indeed, she knew Clara actually preferred her new form. She looked younger, had a better figure, blonde hair, was bustier, and, perhaps most importantly, now had an English accent. Her previous Scottish one was too much for Missy's liking of a reminder of Clara's ex.

"That's not the point, and you know it," said Clara adamantly. Gradually, she raised herself on her arms and sat up. "I was scared to death, Missy. Scared that I'd lose the woman I married. Scared that _our children_ would lose you. And just so you know... " - Clara clenched her jaw in suppressed rage - "... I lost count of the times they came to me asking if this 'new woman' was still their mother."

Missy found herself looking down. "You didn't tell me that."

"No," replied the Human. "Just be thankful that I never said you used to be a man."

Missy cocked an eyebrow. "I was unaware that there was anything wrong with... "

"There isn't!" snapped Clara. "It's just that it would be too confusing for them at their age! And don't change the subject! The point is, I explained to them that regeneration was unpredictable, and anything could happen." She shook her head. "But I guess not, huh? Because look at me."

"I really don't know why you're so upset," Missy said. "As you said, you haven't changed - so what's the problem?"

"The problem is _you DID_!" Clara's eyes were full of fury. "How could you do that to me? How could you put me through that? You changed and made me have to accept you all over again, when it turns out you don't have to change at all! You could've stayed the same and spared me and our children the fear of you becoming a different person! And then ontop of that, you let me think _I'm_ going to change!"

So that was what was bothering her angel. Missy should have known. "Clara... you just... don't get it..." If only Clara knew what Missy had to do to give her Time Lord/Lady traits; how long Missy searched and experimented, threatened and sacrificed. Giving Humans a regeneration cycle was no easy task. To have Clara able to take on Gallifryan abilities and not die of the strain? Missy almost lost track of the time it took to find a solution.

Indeed, once Missy decided to make her wife effectively immortal, she dropped her and their children off on some harmless planet, explaining she had something very important to do. Once promising Clara it was nothing immoral, Missy dematerialised and spent _71 years_ searching for her goal. Of course, to Clara and the little ones it was mere seconds, as Missy returned as soon as she left.

Missy could not deny she was confused. Apart from conquest of the universe, she never spent so much of her personal lifetime on one goal. Why did she go through so much trouble? Why did she not give up and return to her family sooner?

Missy knew why. The 71 years she spent away from Clara was nothing compared to the _very idea_ of losing her forever. She would _not_ lose her wife to a woefully-short Human lifespan. It was out of the question.

Quite, the relief she had upon returning and finding Clara right where and when she left her... the sight was like water to a wanderer on Aridius. Missy grabbed Clara right there and then and kissed her madly, swearing to herself never to be apart from her for anywhere near that amount of time again. And thankfully, she would not have to be.

"I've never tried understanding the details of it," Clara continued, referring to the experiments and procedures endowing her with a regeneration cycle. "Well... I _did_ , but quickly gave up."

"I didn't want you worrying your pretty little head over things you couldn't comprehend," said Missy. The words might have seemed insulting, but she actually meant them as compassionately as she could ever be.

The Impossible Girl tutted, but seemed to let that detail go. "Just tell me the truth... did you know all along? I already know the answer, but I want to hear it from your own mouth."

There was a momentary silence, before Missy's shoulders sagged in defeat. "Yes, my angel - I did." At Clara's angered shake of the head, the Time Lady quickly carried on. "But it was unique to you. Don't you see? Because I had to effectively 'break the rules' for you, I was able to create _new_ rules. I could control your regenerations, specify them. And I know becoming someone else would freak you out too much - and don't say it wouldn't, because I know it _did_ \- so... " To finish the sentence, Missy dramatically shrugged her shoulders. "I was only thinking of your wellbeing, Clara." And the fact Missy did not want to lose the physical perfection that was Clara Oswald.

"Then why didn't you tell me?" The Impossible Girl still sounded pained.

"I don't know," the Time Lady admitted, rolling her eyes in exasperation. "I suppose I didn't... want to think about it. Because honestly - and even after all this time, I'm hurt that you still don't understand - but I just can't bear the thought of losing _you_ , Clara." That was one of the truest things Missy ever said, much to her own surprise. "Thinking about you regenerating meant thinking about you _having to regenerate_ , and that was just too painful to think of why that would happen. Other peoples' deaths don't matter to me much... " - they turned her on, actually - "... but _my wife's_? No, I'd rather not ponder that, thank you."

Clara looked down, her anger dulled somewhat. "I'm sorry," she eventually whispered. Another moment's quiet. "But you still should've told me."

"I know... _I'm_ sorry, too." Clara was the only person Missy would ever say _that_ to, and almost mean it.

"So _your_ regenerations? _Can_ you control them?"

Missy pursed her lips for a second. Truth or... ? "I'm afraid not, darling. Like we Gallifreyans say, it's a lottery. I wish it was otherwise, I really do." She again reached out, and this time was able to make contact with her poppet's leg. "But it's just further proof of how special you are, my Clara. Do you even realise it? You'll live for hundreds, if not thousands of years, then when you regenerate, you'll be _exactly_ as young and as beautiful as you are now, all over again. And you'll get that... " - Missy lidded her eyes momentarily in thought - "... eleven more times. At least."

Clara's lips curved ever-so in a tiny smile. "And meanwhile, I get you in a parade of different supermodel bodies?"

Missy chuckled: she knew her wife would come around. "Anything to keep you interested." She did not dwell on how literal those words were. "Now c'mere, puppy."

Clara seemed reticent at first, then sighed deeply and moved from her seated position to her knees, and the two hugged deeply. Clara wrapped her arms around the Time Lady's neck, while Missy kissed her now long and luxorious hair and patted her back. "Are we good?" she asked.

The Human nodded, then pulled back slightly to look her wife in the eye. "But stop keeping things from me. How am I supposed to understand if you don't talk to me? Especially about things like _this_."

"Oh... you mean _this_?" Missy began kissing Clara's neck. She could feel the goosebumps appear instantly.

"Oh... _ooh_... n... nnno, Missy," gasped Clara. "I meant... you... you know what I... "

"No, I don't." The Time Lady moved her hands under Clara's top and cupped her chest. "Maybe you mean _this_... "

Clara's breath caught. "Nnno... Missy, _no_. Don't... don't start... "

Missy grinned wickedly. "I have to do this, Clara. I need to inspect you... make sure you regenerated properly... " She nuzzled deep into the Impossible Girl's neck.

"Oh God... Missy... " Clara began breathing heavily again. "We can't... the... the children... "

"... can get along fine for an hour." Another smirk. "Or two. Or ten." She then sealed her lips on her wife's, exploring Clara with her tongue. Meeting no resistance, Missy lowered them both down to the mattress.

She won again. She always did.

Except her hearts: Missy lost those to Clara Oswald long ago.

Not that she would ever admit it.

THE END


End file.
